CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — Distracted drivers, pedestrians, and even bicyclists can make for a deadly combination.
(In the photo above, a person looking at their phone prepares to cross Fifth Avenue at the Main Street intersection in Clarion.)
On Wednesday morning, officials from the state Department of Transportation, Clarion Borough, and Clarion University met at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Main Street at the Clarion County Courthouse to raise awareness of the dangers that occur.
Clarion Borough Chief of Police William Peck IV explained why that particular intersection can be so dangerous.
“It’s the biggest intersection in the biggest borough in the entire county, and there is the courthouse, the bank, the elementary school nearby, so there’s a lot of traffic that goes through there every day,” Chief Peck said.
According to PennDOT District 10 statistics, an average of more than 7,600 vehicles travel through the intersection that includes Routes 322 and 68 annually. That’s an average of 636 per day.
While no accident statistics were available, the intersection is known for its vehicle-pedestrian incidents.
In August, area resident Anna Bowen spoke to Clarion Borough Council after her son was struck by a vehicle in the intersection earlier this summer.
“We are looking at ways on how to improve safety at the intersection, but there has to be some common sense when it comes to crossing the street,” Chief Peck said. “People should not assume a car is going to stop or give the right-of-way. They need to obey the signal, don’t take for granted that cars will stop, look both ways and pay attention to the driver.”
“The signs are no guarantee.”
Distracted drivers and pedestrians looking at their phones, texting, or even changing the radio station are common problems, Chief Peck added.
Deborah Casadei, District 10’s public information officer, told exploreClarion.com, “Our goal is to not have any accidents, pedestrian-involved or otherwise, and there are ways that we can achieve that.”
“It may not be realistic, but we never want to see someone get hurt or worse.”
Casadei shared some eye-opening statistics about pedestrian safety.
According to PennDOT statistics, there have been 52 major injuries or fatalities since 2012 in District 10’s five-county area – Clarion, Jefferson, Butler, Armstrong, and Indiana counties. Nine of the 52 occurred in Clarion County, including three fatalities.
PennDOT District 1 Assistant Traffic Manager Adam Marshall spoke about the issue, too.
“Even though you have a green light staring you in the face, you still need to yield to that pedestrian,” Marshall said. “If you are turning right, you still need to be paying attention.”
“It works both ways, the motorists have to be aware of the pedestrians, and the pedestrians need to be aware of the motorists.”
“Deborah and I have been here at the intersection for 15 minutes, and we’ve already seen three people cruise through it with their faces in their cell phones,” Marshall said.
Chief Peck said borough police have stopped and cited drivers when they can see them looking at or texting on their phones, but he said they need to do more in terms of distracted pedestrians and jaywalkers.
Clarion University was also taking part in the effort to raise awareness. Members of the University’s Presidential Commission on Disabilities distributed pedestrian safety literature at the midblock crossing on Greenville Avenue near Clarion University’s Tippin Gymnasium.
Clarion University Safety Inspector John Massa distributed a pamphlet that included the following statistics involving pedestrian-related accidents:
– More than 75 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur at non-intersection locations;
– Alcohol involvement, either for the driver or pedestrian, is reported in nearly 50 percent of traffic crashes that result in pedestrian fatalities;
– On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 108 minutes in the United States;
– Most pedestrian fatalities occur at night;
PennDOT provided the following safety tips for motorists and pedestrians:
Motorists should:
– Slow down when approaching a crosswalk;
– Give pedestrians the right way;
– Make eye contact with crossing pedestrians to indicate you see them;
– Avoid distractions/Do not text and drive; and
– Stay alert.
Pedestrians should:
– Look left, right, and left again for oncoming traffic before crossing;
– Make eye contact with motorists before crossing the street;
– Wear light-colored, reflective clothing to be seen easier;
– Avoid distractions/Do not text and walk; and
– Stay Alert.
For more information on pedestrian safety, go to www.penndot.gov.
